My Hero Academia: The Ultra Stage Announcement Event Report

My Hero Academia by Kohei Horikoshi is one of the most popular manga that is currently being serialized in the famous manga magazine Weekly Shonen Jump. The manga has enjoyed multiple adaptations including a TV anime and games, and this year the series will take to the stage for the first time. The cast for the play was revealed at Jump Festa 2019 on December 22, with a special announcement talk at the Nelke Planning booth.

The guests speakers at the announcement were Ryota Kobayashi, who will play Katsuki Bakugou, and Hiroaki Iwanaga, who will play All Might in his muscular form. Also on stage were the play’s stage director Tsuneyoshi Motoyasu, Weekly Shonen Jump‘s editor-in-chief Hiroyuki Nakano, the series editor Ryosuke Yoritomi, and Nelke Planning CEO Yoko Nogami.

The beginning of the announcement included the reading of a message from Shin Tamura, who will be playing main character Izuku ‘Deku’ Midoriya. Tamura was due to attend the announcement at Jump Festa but had unfortunately fallen ill and was unable to attend. Despite his absence, the message was welcomed with warm applause from the fans at the venue.

A comment was also read aloud from the manga creator Horikoshi. He thought that the visuals looked amazingly cool and added that he was personally wondering about who had been cast as Tokoyami and Mineta. Kobayashi, who was at Jump Festa for the first time, said that he is a big fan of the manga, calling it an awesome work that knows exactly how to get your spirit roaring. Talking about the moment he was offered the role, he said ‘I couldn’t believe it and I even thought the manager was lying to me.’ However he added with a smile, ‘I finally understand that this is real, seeing you all in front of me now.’

Iwanaga told us, ‘I’m planning to gain another 50 kg or so and I need to grow 30 cm taller too’. He then strongly said, ‘I had never imagined that I, at the age of almost 40, would be playing a hero for such a masterpiece. Not just that- this is the role of All Might, the superhero on a stage drama. I want to perform well to meet the fans’ expectations.’

Kobayashi, who admires his character Bakugo, said enthusiastically, ‘He’s got great lines, but I also love the expression on his face when he has nothing to say. The manga is filled with a lot of impressive scenes. We need to work hard together to find the best way to deliver them on stage. I’d like to surpass Katchan!’

While pointing out that the script hasn’t yet been completed, Iwanaga said, ‘All Might is just so strong and powerful with a lot of charisma. Kenta Miyake voiced the role in the anime and I’ve worked with him before for another anime series. It feels like I’m connected to the role somehow. All I can think of right now is to try to bring the character to life in a way that All Might fans can find convincing.’

To keep with the theme of the work, the two actor were asked about who their heroes were. Kobayashi answered with his father and Iwanaga with Space Cop Shaider. As Iwanaga realized that there is an almost a 20-year age gap between the two of them, he asked, ‘Do you know Space Cop Shaider?’ Kobayashi awkwardly replied with a blush, saying, ‘I’m sorry but I’ll look it up later!’ The audience responded with a warm round of applause and cheers of encouragement.

The event closed with the familiar cheers of ‘Let’s go further beyond with the stage drama too!’ ‘Plus Ultra!’